Yosemite Forum

Snowshoes needed?

Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 7:42 am

by DrK

Planning to hike backcountry around badger pass. Anyone know if snowshoes are needed?Thanks

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 5:48 pm

by AlmostThere

The WebCam for badger Shows plenty of snow, The road is closed due to snow and ice, and they have all the lifts open as well as the inner tubing hill. anyone going up there should have chains for the car, winter gear, and be prepared for more snow. don't forget to stop at the hut for your permit if you were staying the night out in backcountry

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2014 3:45 pm

by DrK

Thanks! We are thinking of going in the Dewey Point direction and then cutting over to Bridalveil Creek to camp. Any idea if there is water in the creek?LK

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2014 7:13 pm

by AlmostThere

Why? It's winter. Getting to the water can be difficult in snow. Why go all the way down and have to trudge back up the hill? Snowshoes are much harder than hiking. I always just camp near Dewey and melt snow for water.

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2014 11:58 pm

by DrK

My boys think they will have luck fishing...don't ask. Looking at my topo it seems about 200 feet down to the river edge. But maybe the area is too steep for a camp site?How's the camping at Dewey point? Is there a fair amount of wood in that area for a fire? I see lots of trees on the satellite map view.Thanks,LK

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 7:26 am

by AlmostThere

You cannot build fires. Not allowed. Review the winter camping regs on the Yosemite website. All the wood is wet,and dead and down wood is under snow - cutting branches off trees any time of year is illegal.

Getting close to the stream in snow is dangerous. The banks will be very icy and slippery. I very much doubt you will even see a trout of significant size. It isn't a large stream and the banks are really steep. Trout in winter change their feeding habits.

It sounds like you have not done winter camping before. Do some reading first. The margin of safety is much narrower in winter. You won't be able to just sit a stove in the snow, for example.

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 8:39 am

by DrK

I did not know fires were illegal in winter in the backcountry. I was going to fell a dead tree and use the wood. Is felling dead trees illegal as well. National Park rules? I will check out the regs.Kids were planning unbuilding an enclosed area and netting the trout. Like I said, don't ask I've done lots of snow camping on the east coast.Thanks,

LK

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:52 am

by DrK

I found the regs. Looks like can only make open fires in fire rings, so given the snow no way to find those...bummer.Plus, looks like no camping at Dewy Point area.

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:23 am

by troutwild

DrK wrote:I did not know fires were illegal in winter in the backcountry. I was going to fell a dead tree and use the wood. Is felling dead trees illegal as well. National Park rules? I will check out the regs.Kids were planning unbuilding an enclosed area and netting the trout. Like I said, don't ask I've done lots of snow camping on the east coast.Thanks,

LK

If you follow a "Leave No Trace" ethic in our National Parks, you'll probably be ok with regulations and laws. That means no "felling dead trees" , no building fire rings, pack out what you pack in etc. Also, trapping ANY game fish in California is illegal. Be careful out there, especially in winter.

Re: Snowshoes needed?

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 9:04 am

by AlmostThere

I suggest that you be a better example to your kids, and teach them to be custodians of the wilderness instead of destructive. And also, teach them how to research and learn how to stay warm and healthy in extreme wilderness conditions. For example - don't go out in the snow intending to wade around in freezing water and survive. Hypothermia is a very real problem for people who don't understand how to avoid it.

lnt.org

If more people followed Leave No Trace, there would not be piles of poop under every rock or sitting in the middle of trails (!!!!!!!!!!) and there would not have to be endless regulations keeping them from ruining things for everyone else.